Open rebellion at heart of Kirk

Published on Thursday 6 August 2009 22:03

FEARS have been raised that a covenant established by conservative evangelicals against the ordination of openly gay ministers is part of a push towards a split in the Church of Scotland.

A total of 35 churches across the country have signed up to a campaign of non-co-operation against the Kirk establishment over its decision not to address for two years the issue of appointing openly gay ministers.

The covenant was established by the Fellowship of Confessing Churches, an evangelical body that ran a petition against an openly gay minister, the Rev Scott Rennie, being appointed to Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen.

The covenant states: "We recognise God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family."

It also says that its signatories "reject the authority of those who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed".

The sexuality debate dominated the Kirk's General Assembly in May, when it agreed to allow Mr Rennie to be appointed to Queen's Cross. His fate was connected to a second debate over whether the Kirk should allow openly gay ministers to be appointed in future.

In the end, the second debate was postponed and a commission was appointed to report back on the issue in 2011 and a moratorium placed on any public comments on it.

A Kirk member, who asked not to be identified, said the covenant was part of a push towards a potential schism.

"The whole Scott Rennie thing is a cover for a bigger strategy of these churches, who want to break away from the Church of Scotland, but need to keep their buildings to do it, so they're having to be quite subtle about how they go about it," he said.

"That's why they named the group the Fellowship of Confessing Churches – it's all done with the purpose that they are setting themselves up as the true church within the Church, so they can hang on to the buildings.

"It's all quite murky, but there's precedent for this on the Continent in decades gone by."

The minister said he doubted a wholesale schism would occur, but believed individual congregations would leave. Though no official form has been given as to what form the non-co-operation will take, one unnamed church has already withheld its collection from the Church of Scotland – a key part of Kirk membership.

The Kirk's general treasurer, Iain Grimmond, said: "Certainly there is something going out there and it is not primarily a financial issue. It is about many things before it's about money, but clearly if some for theological reasons say that they will not contribute, we would need to look at that."

One anonymous minister whose congregation signed the covenant said he did not believe this would become common practice. "This is just about trying to indicate how much we dissent from the Assembly. We felt a line had been crossed and we are trying to distance us from it."

THE REBELS

THE churches involved include:

Glasgow and South West

St George's-Tron, Glasgow

St Rollox, Glasgow

St Margaret's Tollcross, Glasgow

Partick Trinity, Glasgow

Carmyle Church, Glasgow

Kirk o' Shotts

Dalry: St John's Town of Dalry, Dumfrieshire

Old Luce, Newton Stewart

New Luce, Newton Stewart

Troqueer Parish Church, Dumfries

Loudoun Church, Newmilns

St Andrew's Church, Harthill

Edinburgh and South East

New Restalrig Church, Edinburgh

Holyrood Abbey Church, Edinburgh

Davidson's Mains Church, Edinburgh

St Catherine's Argyle, Edinburgh

Schism and reunification – the history of the Kirk

THOUGH it can trace its roots back to the origins of Christianity in Scotland, the Kirk's modern shape has been driven by schism and reunification.

1560: The Church in Scotland breaks with Rome during the Scottish Reformation, following the parliament's decision to abolish papal jurisdiction and adopt the principles of Protestantism as laid down by John Calvin.

1732: The First Secession, which rose out of an act of the General Assembly of that year, was passed despite the disapproval of the large majority of individual presbyteries. It led to the formation of the United Secession Church.

1761: The Relief Church is formed by three Kirk ministers who had been deposed by the General Assembly for objecting to proposals.

1843: The interference of civil courts in Church decisions, particularly over the right to appoint ministers, leads to the Disruption, when a large portion of the Kirk broke away to form the Free Church of Scotland.

1847: The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland is formed by the union of the United Secession Church and the Relief Church.

1893: A splinter group breaks away from the Free Church of Scotland to form the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

1900: The United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the majority of the Free Church of Scotland merge to form the United Free Church of Scotland. Those who did not join the United Free Church remained with the Free Church.

1929: Following the recognition of the Kirk in matters spiritual, it was able to unite with the United Free Church of Scotland.

1989: The Associated Free Presbyterian Churches emerges from a split with The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

2000: Members break away from the Free Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing).

The covenant

WE acknowledge our calling to shine as lights in the world, demonstrating the true life of the Kingdom of God within our churches, and also our responsibility to love our neighbours and to be good stewards of God's whole creation.

We therefore embrace our duty to society, to promote that which is good, healthy and just in public life, and to oppose that which is harmful to individuals and damaging to the welfare of our communities as a whole.

We recognise God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family.

We acknowledge the great harm that has come from our failures to maintain this standard, and we repent and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those not married.

We reject the authority of those who have denied the orthodox faith in word or deed. We pray for them and call on them to repent and return to the Lord.